Court rules former American Idol star will stay in jail as lawyers view medical records

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Caleb Kennedy, the South Carolina teen who landed in the top five on American Idol, remains in jail following a recent court motion to release his medical records from the night of a fatal collision.

Kennedy was arrested Feb. 8 and charged withfelony driving under the influence resulting in death, after allegedly running over and killing 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris in Spartanburg County. Marijuana was possibly involved in the collision,police saidat the time.

The most recent ruling decided Kennedy will stay detained until attorneys have the chance to review the toxicology report.

The suspect is 17 years old but is being tried as an adult. Kennedy's lawyer David Beasley told the Associated Press the situation was a "terrible, terrible accident."

Kennedy rose to fame in 2020 when he advanced to the final five American Idol contestants, but he quickly left after a Snapchat post surfaced, showing him with someone that appeared to wear a Ku Klux Klan hood. Kennedy's family has said the video was taken out of context.